Nutty Cacao Cookies
Gluten free, Dairy Free, Grain free, Corn Free, Soy free, Egg free, Cane sugar free
These are incredibly tasty cookies that are filling because of all the nuts and seeds. They are healthy enough to use as a guilt free snack in place of a candy bar, granola bar or processed food bar. My kids loves these. I find these cookies are a staple because they help you feel like you had a sweet treat yet they fill you up and stop the sweet craving without triggering a desire for more sugar.
2 tbls flax meal mixed with 6 tbls very hot water
2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup flax meal
1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 rounded tbls cinnamon
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil
*1 cup raisins or high cacao chocolate chips (I used the dairy free Guittard brand from new seasons)
Preheat oven to 325F. Mix the 2 tbls flax meal and very hot water, stir and set aside. Mix all the dry ingredients. Put the coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla in a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Once it is melted pour into dry mixture, add the flax gel that you set aside, and stir until well combined. If you are using chocolate chips and you don't want them to melt, wait a few minutes for the cookie mixture to cool. Then add the raisins or chocolate chips and stir. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll into tbls sized balls and press with a fork. Rolling and gently pressing the cookies, maintaining their shape, helps the cookies stay together after cooking.
Cook for 15 minutes. Allow to cook for 10 minutes before eating. The cooling period allows the cookies to set so they won't fall apart.
* For a cane sugar free version omit the chocolate chips. In their place melt 6 oz sugar free high cacao chocolate in the coconut maple syrup mixture and add 1 tbls maple syrup. Pour this chocolate slurry into the dry mixture along with flax meal slurry.
HINT: Spraying your hands with coconut or olive oil spray helps the cookies not stick to your hands as much.
Adapted from, "Make it Paleo" by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason.